Zucchini Noodles in Light Cream Sauce

Thanks to my vegetable spiralizer, this whole dish took less than 10 minutes! Spiralized zucchini is an awesome substitute for spaghetti. I like it in light sauces that don't weigh down the zucchini. The best part of this dish is that it is so versatile.  I used basil to add flavor since it's growing on my balcony, but mint, oregano, rosemary, etc would also taste great. You can also add chopped nuts (pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc) if you want more flavor and texture.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium zucchini (~3 cups), spiralize or grate into long, thin strips

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tbsp Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp basil, cut into thin ribbons

Directions

1. In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil on med-high. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes, until it just begins to turn brown. Then add the zucchini with a pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes (still a little crunchy).

2. Drain any excess water that was released and keep on the side in case you want to thin out the sauce. The zucchini should still be in the pan.

3. Add the heavy cream and pepper to the zucchini. If you want a thinner sauce, add some of the water you reserved in Step 2. Bring this to a boil (~2 minutes) to make sure it is heated through.

4. As soon as it boils once, remove it from the heat. Mix in the Parmesan or Pecorino and basil. Serve hot!